Jarrett plans to help FSU return to College World Series

JUSTIN BARNEYSports Writer

Published Saturday, June 15, 2002

Wanted: Masterful recruiter to reshape baseball program. Must be an effortless tactician able to adjust to situations on the fly. Impervious to pressure. Professional baseball experience is preferred. Television color-commentary skills a plus, but not required. Ideal location. Short drive to the beach.

Not exactly the wording from a traditional classified ad, but when Dave Barnett added Link Jarrett to the baseball staff at Flagler College in 1999 as an assistant and head junior varsity coach, he got everything listed above and a mittful of extras.

"As it turned out, I couldn't have picked a better guy," Barnett said of Jarrett. "He relates well with the players. Just a perfect assistant coach."

The compliments won't stop even as Jarrett leaves this weekend for Tallahassee and an assistant baseball coaching position at his alma mater, Florida State University.

"He helped me out a lot," said former Flagler shortstop and Beloit Snappers infielder Chris Barnwell, a team in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization.

"You got instructions with him that some guys don't get until pro ball."

The Seminoles won a program-best 60 games but wound up missing the College World Series for the second consecutive season. Jarrett is eyeing the challenge of helping get FSU back to Omaha.

"I wasn't really expecting this move to happen with the staff they had," Jarrett said of his surprising Tallahassee transition.

"But I'm looking forward to stepping in and helping to continue an excellent run for (coach) Mike Martin."

Jarrett won't be venturing to the Seminoles' campus as any sort of rookie making his big-league debut.

He's a former All-American shortstop and a big name in FSU country. Jarrett started in three College World Series' ('91, '92, ' 94), including one of the biggest heartbreaks in 'Noles' lore -- save this past season -- in his final year.

Nursing a 4-0 lead against Georgia Tech in the eighth frame, Jason Varitek clubbed a grand slam to knot the contest. The Yellow Jackets went on to win in extra innings.

Loss aside, Jarrett was in star-splashed company that afternoon. Varitek still plays for pay in the bigs, while Jarrett's Tech counterpart didn't pan out to be that bad of a player himself.

Nomar Garciaparra is a three-time All-Star for the Boston Red Sox.

"Link is one of the finest players we've ever had at FSU, and he certainly brings a lot to our ballclub," said Martin, now in his 22nd season coaching the program.

"I can't express how excited we are to have him back in a Seminole uniform."

Jarrett was eventually drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 22nd round and spent five seasons in the minors before deciding to duck into family life and coaching full time.

It's a choice he only views with a sliver of sandy regret.

"We've fallen in love with St. Augustine; Flagler's really like family," said Jarrett, who along with his wife, Jennifer, the former cheerleading coach at Flagler, have two children, J.T. and Dawson.

"The big thing we'll miss is the beach, though. We love the beach. It's an hour drive to the beach in Tallahassee, but it's not the same."

Should Jarrett ever decide to opt out of the coaching, albeit a very unlikely maneuver, he could always shift back to another field of interest.

The television booth.

Jarrett was offered a chance to do color commentary for the Sunshine Network in 1996 and has become a fixture on the station in recent years.

He's called his share of games -- Marshall McDougall's six-homer barrage in 1999 is the first mention out of Jarrett's mouth -- but says his six-year booth run is probably on ice for the foreseeable future.

"That was a great experience, one I could see happening later down the road," he said.

"This year was as exciting as you could ask for. But I enjoy being on the field and working with players instead of crunching numbers."

Any case, Jarrett will be missed.

"It's a little more than an employee/boss-type deal," Barnett said of his connection with Jarrett. "He's a real good confidant and friend. I can't look into a crystal ball, but it's not too hard to predict he'll be a great Division I coach one day."